Patent GB-1336908-A (GB)
Title: Phase separation
IPC: B01J49/45
Filed: 1971-04-30
Abstract: 1336908 Magnetic separation COMMONWEALTH SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION and I C I AUSTRALIA Ltd 30 April 1971 [4 May 1970] 12423/71 Heading B2J The phases of a mixture, including at least one liquid phase, are separated by treating the mixture of phases with a particulate or granular ferromagnetic synthetic polymeric material so as to absorb or collect at least part of one phase of the mixture into or onto said particulate or granular material and separating said material together with the absorbed or collected portion of the mixture by magnetic means. Suitable ferromagnetic material comprise ferrite, gamma iron oxide, mill scale, magnetite or chromium dioxide. Finely ground magnetic material is incorporated wholly or partially within a layer of polymer by methods such as: 1) dispersing the magnetic material in a monomer or monomer mixture which is then polymerised 2) milling a mixture of a polymer and magnetic material 3) dispersing magnetic material in a solution of liquid polymers which are then cross-linked in a curing process or 4) depositing a polymer onto magnetic particles by polymerisation from the vapour phase or precipitation from a solution, thereby encapsulating the magnetic particles. Subsequent layers of the same or different polymer may be grafted on or added. The polymeric material for use with at least one liquid phase is either preferentially wetted by a liquid phase of the mixture or preferentially absorbs one phase of the mixture. Suitable polymeric materials may be chosen from all types of polymers including condensation or addition polymers, homo or random polymers and block or graftcopolymers, the grafting being preferably with a shell containing groups such as poly electrolytes. Specific examples referred to comprise polyvinyl alcohol, urea formaldehyde resins and melamine formaldehyde resins (all of which are normally hydrophilic and may thus be used with polar media such as water) and polystyrene, esters, copolymers of these materials, methyl methacrylate polymers,- phenolformaldehyde resins, polyvinyl chloride, polyolefines and polyamides (which are hydrophobic and may be used for example to separate hydro carbons from aqueous phases). The polymer particles preferably include voids to increase surface activity and are preferably irregular in shape. The magnetic separation may be effected by known magnetic separators or by magnetising the particles to include flocculation resulting in rapid settling of the magnetic material and absorbed material. For use at sea, a magnetic field may be provided by a boom drawn above or below the surface. The absorbed or collected material may be recovered by washing, pressing, distilling, solvent extracting or heating (partial recovery) and the magnetic particles may be reused. Repeated magnetisation and demagnetisation will dislodge attached particlate matter. When the magnetic particles are used as a filter aid, the porosity of the layer may be regulated by varying the extent to which the particles are magnetised.  The invention may be applied for example to removing finely divided solids such as clays and organic matter from-surface water supplies or sewage effluents, removing gelatinous precipitates such as hydrated metal hydroxides, clearing oil slicks, separating emulsions in connection, e.g. with liquid-liquid extraction, and colloids. Hydrophilic magnetic particles may be added to the water entering a cooling tower to allow the air and water to be separated more efficiently, by increasing the settling rate of the water droplets and to permit their trapping by magnetic means.